Cabeus Crater was the site of the first lunar colony, having served as home to the two dozen intrepid men and woman who volunteered for the first mission in 2031. They had selected that site because of an abundance of water, in the form of ice, trapped beneath the crater’s surface. Early life for the colonists had been difficult because of the extreme cold and lack of sunlight on the crater floor. For power and heat, they relied entirely on two prototype helium-3 fusion reactors, which proved to be difficult to maintain and operate. The colonists also learned the hard way that extracting helium-3 was not as easy as they first thought.
After just two years the decision was made to relocate the colony to the Casatus Crater 300 kilometers to the north. Unlike Cabeus, Casatus offered a large, relatively flat area that received significant sunlight throughout most of the lunar year. There was water under Casatus but it was nowhere near as abundant as at Cabeus. And it was located nearly a mile below the surface, which made extraction and processing far more difficult. A tanker that could transport the abundant water of Cabeus to the more hospitable Casatus solved the problem. Today, water is delivered via an underground aqueduct.
The ship began a large loop back toward the equator a short time later, swinging out over the Hausen and Bailly craters. The ship continued its arc and Evan got a nice view of the Tycho crater and mining facility. After passing over Tycho, the craft continued southwards—its track taking it about 320 kilometers east of the Clavius Crater. Evan's holodisplay provided a nice view of the facility that sat near the middle of that crater.
Clavius Base was one of a dozen manned stations spread across Luna. These stations, along with dozens of orbiting satellites, provided continuous monitoring of near-Earth space and advanced warning of asteroids and other space debris that threatened the planet. The number of small asteroids careening toward Earth had increased as a result of mining the Asteroid Belt, and there had been several near misses in the past decade.
To combat this threat, the GFN had negotiated with the Luna colonies to install laser and missile defense batteries at strategic locations across Luna. These batteries had sufficient firepower to destroy or deflect most asteroids that posed a risk to Earth but using those weapons against the Earth or spacecraft was prohibited by international law and interplanetary treaty.
Evan heard the Hellfire engines cut off as the ship made its final turn toward Klaproth. A few seconds later, Elise's voice echoed over the sound system.
“Attention, please. We are on final approach to Klaproth and have been cleared to land. Your pods will rotate forward once we are on the ground but please remember to remain seated until we have stopped moving and the airlock is sealed. And don't forget to retrieve your helmets and other personal belongs from the under-pod storage compartment on your way out. Thank you again for flying with us today and may the solar wind be ever at your back.”
Evan watched his display intently as they descended into Klaproth. Casatus City was about 100 kilometers due south of the spaceport, and Evan could see one large dome surrounded by a half dozen smaller domes and several pyramid shaped structures. The large dome was about a kilometer and a half in diameter and over 90 meters high at its peak. According to the narrative voice that accompanied the visual display, Casatus was home to 12,263 colonists, of which nearly one third had been born on Luna. They were largely self-sufficient food and energy wise but the colony still imported a large percentage of its manufactured goods.
A robust trade network had been established between Luna, Earth and Mars with Casatus at its center. Although more people lived on Mars, Luna's location made it the ideal trans-shipment point for goods and materials going to Mars and coming to Earth. Like Mars, the lunar colony had an independent democratic government that was organized like a typical Earth corporation with an elected board of directors and a president who served as chairman of the board.
Together they provided direction and oversaw day-to-day operations. A public referendum decided non-routine issues, with anyone over the age of twenty years able to vote. The president and board members stood for election every twelve years on an alternating basis, which meant that either the president or half the board was up for election every four years—with no term limits. The current president Andrea Renee Duchon, was in her twelfth year and was up for re-election in November.
Evan heard a loud roar from the SABRE engines and felt the shuttle’s forward motion slow considerably. The craft was now at 3,000 meters above the surface and descending at ten meters per second. The visual display switched to Klaproth and Evan was greeted by the site of another dome surrounded by a dozen well-lit circular landing pads.
About half the pads were occupied, two by ships very similar to the one he was in and four by larger ships that he guessed were transports. His ship appeared to be headed toward an empty pad on the northeast side of the dome.
The SABREs roared again as the craft descended below 1,000 meters and Evan watched intently as their descent rate dropped to five meters per second. Evan switched his display to a rearward view so he could watch the thrusters fire. He adjusted the viewpoint to just under the nose of the ship looking toward the rear. From this vantage he could see the thrusters mounted along the bottom of the craft, the four SABRE engines on the wings and the spaceport just ahead.
He watched with rapt attention as the thrusters and engines lit up in seemingly random patterns. The ship coasted gently toward the landing pad and Evan could see a large six-wheeled vehicle sitting off to one side. They were just meters above the lunar surface and Evan could see grains of sand and small rocks being tossed around by the ship's downward thrust. A few seconds later they floated across the landing pad threshold and Evan adjusted his display so he looked out the rear of the craft.
They were now over the landing pad and Evan felt the wing-mounted SABRES make one last roar before going silent. The underbelly thrusters fired as the ship floated lazily down onto the center of the pad. He switched his view to the nose of the craft just as the thrusters went quiet and he could see that the next closest pad to theirs was empty.
“Wow!” he said out loud.
“Yeah, wow,” Yin replied, “I never tire of seeing that.”
The passenger pods rotated forward and Yin was once again behind Evan.
Evan watched as a six-wheeled vehicle rolled up to the front of the ship and attached itself to the forward landing gear. Once connected, it hauled them across the pad toward the terminal. It took several minutes to get them off the pad and aligned with the airlock. As soon as they stopped moving Elise and the other flight attendants got out of their pods and moved toward the forward hatch. Evan noticed that they took slow, steady steps to minimize bouncing in the low gravity. Several minutes passed while the airlock was secured and the main hatch opened.
Elise's voice sounded over the intercom. “Please be careful when exiting your pods and watch your step. If you step too hard, you will bounce…and if you step hard enough, you might hit your head. So please proceed carefully and let any of us know if you need assistance with your belongings or exiting the craft.”
Elise stayed by the hatch but Talia and Anika moved down the aisle in case anyone needed help. Evan removed his restraints and slowly stood up. He felt a little light-headed and had to wait a few seconds to regain his balance. Yin and Chen left from their seats and gathered their things from the storage bins beneath their pods. Evan could tell they had done this before. Chen offered Evan his arm, Yin grabbed Evan’s helmet from under his pod and the three moved slowly toward the front of the ship.
Anika and Talia smiled as they walked past and Elise gave one last “Thank you” as they entered the airlock. Once they were inside the lock, a door slid shut behind them and Evan heard a loud hissing sound as the pressure equalized. The airlock walls, floor and ceiling glowed with a faint bluish-purple hue.
“Decontamination,” Chen said sensing Evan's puzzlement.
A few seconds went by before the lights turned white and the
opposite door slid open. Evan could see a long well-lit hallway leading away from the ship.
Chen urged Evan forward. “There's a changing room just ahead. We'll want to get out of these suits before we meet our contact in the main terminal.”
The three moved slowly down the hallway as Evan adjusted to the low gravity environment. Chen was no longer holding his arm but Yin walked a few steps behind, just in case.
CHAPTER 15
APRIL 4, 2075 11:07 PM GST
Klaproth Spaceport
Luna
Evan took a few timid steps to test the magnetic boots he wore. Walking in them felt natural as sensors in the boots adjusted the magnetic force with each step. Evan had only to make sure that at least one foot was on the floor at all times, which still took a little practice because Luna’s gravity was one-sixth that of Earth’s—and it took little effort to push his whole body up in the air.
“Looks like you’ve got it,” Yin said.
“I’m getting there,” Evan acknowledged.
“No worries. We’ll take it slow.”
“So, how long are we here?” Evan asked.
“Not sure,” Chen answered. “It depends on where our transport ship is and when the captain will be ready to go. This isn't our original plan and we are now relying on the goodwill of others.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, our original plan was to keep you on Earth for two to four weeks while you adjusted. We didn't want to risk reviving you off planet and we hoped that our little scheme would go undetected but it didn't so now we improvise.”
“What would be the problem with reviving me on Luna or Mars and avoiding this whole situation in the first place?”
“It's complicated but we've had problems with that in the past. The human brain doesn't do well when the dislocation of time, gravity and place varies greatly from what the person last remembers. We think it involves how circadian rhythm is encoded in our brain and nervous system but nobody is quite sure. What we do know is that slow acclimation in a familiar environment produces the best results.”
“So, what does that mean for me?”
“To be perfectly honest, Evan, I'm not sure. We've never done anything like this before so your guess is as good as mine.”
Evan’s facial expression made it clear that this new revelation was more than a little disconcerting.
“But don't worry about it,” Chen added. “You are in the best hands and we will have everything we need to ensure that you have a successful recovery once we get to Mars.”
“I understand but isn't it going to take us several weeks to get to Mars? What happens in the meantime?”
“More like hours, at least once we are on board the Endeavor.”
“Hours? How is that possible? We took hours to get to the Moon!”
“Different technology. The transport ship that will take us to Mars has a gravity pulse engine, which allows the ship to travel at a significant percentage of light speed.”
“So, it has a warp drive then,” Evan stated matter-of-factly.
Chen thought a moment. “Not exactly but you need to ask someone who knows about the stuff. I’m just a cryologist, remember?”
“Okay then, Mister Cryologist, can you at least tell me what kind of brain problems you are expecting me to have?”
“I am not expecting any problems,” Chen reassured him. “More than likely you will experience nothing more than the occasional headache or bizarre dream, which we can mitigate with drugs if required. The main things you have to watch out for are feelings of extreme disorientation and frequent hallucinations. If that happens you must let me know right away.”
“What does it mean if those things happen?”
“Well, it can mean several things—most of which are minor problems we can easily deal with but…”
“But what?”
“But they can also be symptoms of a breakdown in your synaptic processes. If that happens we will need to begin aggressive brain stimulation therapy right away or put you into stasis until we get somewhere where we can deal with it.”
“Brain stimulation therapy? That sounds decidedly unappealing.”
“It's not that bad. We inject you with special nanites that will reinforce and reconstruct your synapses using your baseline engrams as a pattern.”
“My baseline engrams?”
“Those are the last stored copy we have of your brain.”
“Which is essentially what I remember as of the moment I woke up yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“So, I would forget everything that happened between when I woke up and this procedure if I require it?”
“Not everything. It depends on how much your engrams degrade from the baseline. It's possible that the procedure could restore normal brain function with minimal memory loss. But look, it is unlikely that will happen, okay?”
“If you say so. Here's hoping that doesn't happen.”
“It won't. We had a great baseline to work with and there were no issues during the encoding procedure. I will bet my reputation on the fact that your brain is as stable as if you were born with it!”
Evan nodded and said nothing more. He could see they were nearing the end of the tunnel and it looked like there were three people standing near the entrance to the terminal. A tall man wearing a white uniform stepped forward to meet them. Two other men wearing similar uniforms stood one on either side of the passageway.
“Welcome to Klaproth Station. I am Administrator Nayak and I am responsible for this facility. Is this your first trip to Luna?”
Chen stepped forward to shake the uniformed man's hand.
“Happily, no,” Chen replied. “We have made this trip many times but I don't believe we have met. I am Doctor Chen Hao, Telogene’s Chief Cryologist and these are my assistants Doctors Li and Richardson. We are just here on a brief layover. How can I be of service?”
“Well Doctor Hao, I am sorry but we have received a request from the GFN to detain you. They claim you are fugitives and are demanding your immediate return to Earth. Will you please come with us?”
Yin took a few steps forward to stand next to Evan. Chen put his hand, palm out, behind his back to signal her to stop.
Chen feigned ignorance. “Are you sure you have the right people? There must be a mistake.”
Administrator Nayak frowned. “I am sure there is. But, in the meantime, would you be kind enough to accompany me to my office so we can get this sorted? I'd hate for there to be any kind of confrontation if we can avoid it.”
The two men standing off to the side stepped forward to block the hallway on either side of the administrator. Evan noticed that they both had large pistols strapped to their thighs.
“Why would there be a confrontation? I would be happy to come with you but we are meeting someone in just a few minutes. Would it be possible to send one of my assistants to find him and let him know we will be delayed?”
The administrator looked the three fugitives up and down several times. “Very well. You can send Doctor…Li, was it? The two of you will come with me.”
“If you insist,” Chen replied. He turned to Yin and handed her something that Evan thought looked like one of those data cubes he'd seen earlier.
“Meet us at the administrator's office after you've made the necessary arrangements.”
Yin nodded and slipped the data cube into her jacket pocket.
“And not too long, please,” the administrator admonished Yin, “I’d hate to have to send a security detail to retrieve you.”
“It should only take twenty or thirty minutes at most,” she replied.
“Very well. Right this way, please,” the administrator gestured for Chen and Evan to follow him, the guards stepping in behind them.
The Klaproth terminal comprised a large open area in the middle of the dome surrounded by buildings, several of which were three and four stories high. Dozens of people milled around the central concourse and they could s
ee dozens more walking between the hallways that led to and from the landing pads.
The administrator led them across the concourse toward the largest of the multistory buildings. Along the way, they passed several holodisplays that advertised the various concourse vendors, including a couple of food stands and offered directions to customs and the tramway. Evan thought he caught a glimpse of Yin on the far side of the concourse but he wasn't sure.
None of the people in the concourse seemed to pay any attention to Evan's group as it made its way past the food court. Evan had not eaten in several hours, and the idea of a “food court” brought on a sudden craving for a double cheeseburger with French fries.
I wonder if they still have that kind of stuff?
“Any chance we can get a bite to eat while we’re here?” he asked the administrator. “I am a little hungry.”
The administrator stopped and turned back to him. “Didn't they feed you on the shuttle?”
“Yes but that was several hours ago, and it's worn off.”
“I will order you something once we get to my office. What do you want?”
“A cheeseburger and fries would be great, and a chocolate milkshake if you can swing it.”
“Hmm, interesting choices. I will see what I can do.” Administrator Nayak turned to Doctor Hao. “Anything for you, sir?”
“The same please,” he replied.
“You Earthies and your junk food. We don't get too many requests for that here but we might find you something passable. This way please.”
They left the concourse and Administrator Nayak escorted them through a narrow alleyway that zigzagged between several small buildings before depositing them at the entrance of a much larger four-story building. The giant glass doors hissed open, and the administrator led them to a nearby bank of elevators. The group stepped into the first one that opened and the administrator ordered it to take them to the fourth floor.
They exited the elevator and walked down a short hallway to a suite of offices. An attractive brunette with mocha skin sat behind the half-wall that divided the lobby from the rest of the office. She glanced up but said nothing as the group passed by. Evan turned back to look at her but she acted as if he wasn't there.
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